To assess whether inflammation and microglial activation accompany the onset and the progression of PD-like pathology, we investigated the expression of cytokines (<i>interleukin 1 beta (Il1b), interleukin 6 (Il6)</i>) and microglial/macrophage activation markers (<i>Fc gamma receptor III (Fcgr3), mannose receptor 1 (Mrc1), chitinase-like 3 (Ym1), arginase 1 (Arg 1), triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (Trem2)</i>), together with microglial ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1) and astrocyte glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunolabeling, in the substantia nigra (SN) of c-rel<sup>-/-</sup> mice, at premotor (4- and 13-month-old) and motor phases (18-month-old).